A/N: Yes, Umi and Rin both have tattoos.

Mela - Esperanza Spalding.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, all rights go to respectful owners.

While Umi was piercing a client, Nozomi and Rin sat opposite each other at a station, both staring at a slab of skin. The whirring noise of the tattoo machine was breaking the silence, along with Rin's quiet whimpers.

"Rin-chan, you just have to trace the line, remember how we practiced on the paper?" Nozomi spoke, seeing the orange brows twitch.

Rin took deep breaths, and the hand that had the machine in it was shaking.

"I know…I know…"

"C'mon, Rin-chan, you must have a steady hand."

"I know…I know…"

Nozomi knew what Rin was doing: she was caught up in her head, and her eyes were glazing over.

Nozomi sighed and rolled her wheely chair to be next to her apprentice.

"Here, let me help you," Nozomi's voice was soft, as she took Rin's right hand with her own and moved it towards the pig skin.

The symbol was rather simple, just an outline of Rin's name in hiragana.

"Remember, try to be gentle, but maintain a firm grip. The needle is going to cause pain for the client, so they don't need any more discomfort," Nozomi guided Rin to the stencil and place the needle on the pig skin.

Instantly, Rin squirmed and let out a strange noise.

"Hey, it's not real. It's pig skin," Nozomi kept calm over Rin's squirming.

"I-It's weird!"

"I know, but every needs to start on something, and unfortunately, there aren't many alternatives at our disposal. You've been drawing for a while, and that's only half of the process," Nozomi explained, keeping Rin's hand steady as she guided her over the first character.

Rin settled down once the character was finished, and looked down at the thin, black ink that was now permanently on the pig skin.

Rin froze, staring at the skin as sweat beaded on her forehead.

"You need to be strong about this, Rin-chan," Nozomi moved back and pointed at the skin.

"We're lucky that this pig is dead and didn't even have a say in getting a tattoo in the first place, but if this was a real client, an alive client, they would be uncomfortable because you are uncomfortable" Nozomi moved her hair away to show Rin the tattoo behind her ear.

"You need to be as calm as you were doing this one. Try to get into a state where you can focus and remain in control."

Rin stared at the tattoo, still in the healing process. She had nearly lost her mind when Nozomi asked her to tattoo her: she'd only been her apprentice for two months, and she had done that in a very sensitive area, on her boss, her master, no less! Two weeks ago, Rin had done that tattooo, which meant Nozomi had broken all the laws for apprentice tattooing. Yet, she had faith the 23-year-old, and had managed to complete the tattoo, and passed out at the end.

"Rin-chan," Nozomi let her hair cover the tattoo again, her ever present smile hadn't faltered once.

"What was going through your mind when you did this tattoo?"

Rin blinked, then tugged at the collar of her Blink 182 shirt.

"Th-that if I mess up you'd beat the ever-loving crap out of me…and that I would just kiss my apprenticeship goodbye…And that we would both be in a lot of trouble if people found out I did a tattoo after only two months of being your apprentice..."

Nozomi chuckled as Umi entered the room with her newly pierced client behind her.

"You were determined not to fail, weren't you?"

"Y-yeah…I just channelled that energy the same way as I play soccer…get really focused and do the best I can…"

"Sounds like a good method," Nozomi wheeled back around to the opposite side of the station.

"Try to channel that energy into this piece, and always remember to take your time. This art form is permanent, and clients will not be happy if you mess up a design by squirming around."

"O-okay," Rin stuttered, then cleared her throat as the door jingled open.

Once Umi's client left, her eyes lit up at the new person in the store.

"Kotori! Good afternoon!" Umi walked forward and gently kissed her fiancé on the cheek.

"Good afternoon, Umi-chan," the daycare worker smiled back, and looked over at Nozomi and Rin.

"Good afternoon, Rin-chan, Nozomi-san!"

"Hello!" Nozomi greeted cheerfully, but Rin just smiled at her, and then went back to slowly starting the other hiragana character on the pig skin.

"Excuse Rin, she's concentrating," Umi noted as Nozomi stood up and beckoned Kotori to join her at another station.

"Umi-chan, please keep an eye on Rin for me. If she starts to get anxious, turn the machine off by hitting that foot switch. The machine will stop immediately, okay?" Nozomi instructed, and Umi nodded.

"Sure thing."

Eli hung up her apron and looked at the time: 3:58pm.

She had managed to finally complete her stock take, and now it was time to gather her things and collect Alisa from school. She'd always take her younger sister to her ballet class, since Eli promised her mother and grandmother. However, as she put on her coat, a thought struck.

The blonde pulled out her phone, and unlocked it. She needed to call Nozomi about their plans for the evening. Eli was willing to bite the bullet and accept her girlfriend's wrath for calling her during work hours.

Eli punched in the numbers for her work, and waited.

"Lily White Tattoos and Piercings, This is Umi."

"Umi, it's Eli," the blonde smiled, and Umi chuckled.

"Hello, Eli. How are you?"

"I'm well, and yourself?"

"Ah, same old same old. Can't complain, can I?"

Eli smiled sadly, still thinking about Kotori worrying over her fiancé.

"Hey, is Nozomi there?"

"She's just doing a consultation with a client. Is it urgent?"

"Not particularly, just get her to call me b-"

"Elichi."

Umi's voice was replaced by that familiar nickname, and Eli sighed.

"Hey, I'm sorry for calling you during work hours but I wanted to kn-"

"It's fine, I haven't started tattooing yet. What's up?"

"I'm about to go pick up Alisa and take her to ballet. Are you cooking dinner tonight?"

"I will, but I may be late, depending on how long Kotori-chan's tattoo takes and if there are any walk-ins."

"Did you need me to pick up anything before I come home?"

"Nah, leave that to me, Elichi. Just enjoy the time with your sister."

"Well that sounds ominous," Eli muttered, and Nozomi chuckled.

"It's fine, that's what the cards said."

Eli sighed and slung her bag onto her shoulder.

"Okay, okay, I'll head off now. Just be careful, it's still pretty cold outside."

"I will be, Elichi, don't worry."

"…I love you," Eli said it without thinking, and Nozomi just chuckled again.

"Wh-what's so funny?"

"You're too winsome, Elichi. I love you, too. See you tonight," Nozomi responded, and Eli hung up, blushing furiously.

Checking the time, it was 4:04pm.

With a sigh, the blonde stuffed her phone into her pocket and left the backroom.

"Alright, I'm off. You two know what to do, and if there's a problem, give me a ring," Eli instructed Maki and Nico. Both would close up for her at 6.

"Okay, see you tomorrow, Eli" Nico grinned as Maki nodded.

"See you."